A fairer system for the play-offs?

[surlyseagull]

I think the team finishing third should automatically go into the final .....then perhaps have one more team in the play offs which they all play each other to get to wembley .This would effectively keep more teams season alive till the last knockings .

 

[sydney]

we went all out for the win at boro and were dry humped by "fantastic mike dean" sheff weds rested half the team and took the loss in their stride....we were uncatchable at that stage but never the less we went for the win at boro which can only be described as admirable.........i suggest if you are lucky enough to be at the amex on tuesday you sing your nuts off and lift the boys cos they are going to need it........if this was a monty python film , we are the black knight......i can't believe how this last six weeks have panned out .....holy mother of god it's been a journey and a half....!!

 

[sydney]

we went all out for the win at boro and were dry humped by "fantastic mike dean" sheff weds rested half the team and took the loss in their stride....we were uncatchable at that stage but never the less we went for the win at boro which can only be described as admirable.........i suggest if you are lucky enough to be at the amex on tuesday you sing your nuts off and lift the boys cos they are going to need it........if this was a monty python film , we are the black knight......i can't believe how this last six weeks have panned out .....holy mother of god it's been a journey and a half....!!

ha ha oiii....mike dean mike dean mike dean.....oiii mike dean...!!

 

[SittingbourneSeagull]

What about the semi's are only one leg and the 3rd and 4th placed team play at home.

 

[KZNSeagull]

It does seem strange to decide a third promotion spot after a 46 game league with a knockout competition. I suspect though that had we come 3rd by 10 points instead of 1 point/2 goals, we would not be having this conversation.

There has to be a way of giving the team finishing 3rd more of an advantage though - if we had finished miles behind in 3rd, we could have rested players as well. The straight to the final one is probably the best, but it will not be changed anytime soon. Such is life.

 

[Deleted member 2719]

Nothing wrong with the bloody system...People need to stop moaning as the excuses are pathetic.

The playoffs are brilliant and spot on as they're

Bollox the play-offs are crap, 15 points ahead is massive, then it comes down to a small cup competition which can be so ref/decision focused or injury focused as we are seeing now. With the injury side of it there is no time for recovery as there would be in a normal cup competition.
The play-offs stink and could effectively destroy our whole team #togetherness if we don't get the result on Monday.

Massive Monday is huge for the Albion.

I hate the play-offs.

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

I think the team finishing third should automatically go into the final .....then perhaps have one more team in the play offs which they all play each other to get to wembley .This would effectively keep more teams season alive till the last knockings .

As has been said many times on here already - 6th plays 5th, the winner plays 4th, the winner of that plays 3rd in the final. Sorted (sort of).

 

[Carshaltonloyal]

I think the team finishing third should automatically go into the final .....then perhaps have one more team in the play offs which they all play each other to get to wembley .This would effectively keep more teams season alive till the last knockings .

Team in 3 rd straight to Wembley , 6 th plays 5th one leg , team that came 5 th at home . Winners from that play team in 4 th either one leg with 4 th placed team at home or 2 leg , again 4 th placed gets 2nd leg at home . Winners play 3 rd placed at Wembley ! Sort of thing

 

[Geestar]

We should be beating a team 15 points behind over two legs. Lets not pick faults in a system that works. Every method will have its complaints.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk

 

[Stato]

While I agree that the Playoffs are a fantastic concept I think a lot of Albion fans have been concerned that Derby, Hull and Wednesday have been resting players while we have been busting a gut and suffering from injuries and suspensions in trying to gain automatic promotion.

While it is all part of the game is it right / fair for the others to wrap players in cotton wool while we watch our numbers dwindle.

Its ironic that the play offs were initially introduced to stop dead rubbers at the end of the season, but the way it has panned out this year meant that only the the best team in the lottery didn't get this advantage. Like penalty shoot outs, the play offs give raw emotion and great entertainment for the neutral, but are terrible to be involved in unless you're the lucky ones.

 

[GloryDays]

The demise all started with Dunk's red card.

Michael Keane's equalizer...

 

[GoldWithFalmer]

You have to take the rough with the smooth........i would not have seen Albion at Wembley if it was not for the play off's......I am really of the opinion that although they could be better and that we may feel we have been dealt a bad hand at the end of the day we all know the deal and we would not be complaining if we sneaked 6th spot and went up..

 

[Arkwright]

Its ironic that the play offs were initially introduced to stop dead rubbers at the end of the season, but the way it has panned out this year meant that only the the best team in the lottery didn't get this advantage. Like penalty shoot outs, the play offs give raw emotion and great entertainment for the neutral, but are terrible to be involved in unless you're the lucky ones.

You're right, the only final day drama was for automatic promotion. Even the Premier is all done and dusted before the final week except a couple of European places.

I don't know how you could change the system, a few years back third bottom in the Prem played third in the Championship.

 

[desprateseagull]

A straghight 3 up, 3 down maybe..?

Or-

3rd place goes into playoff final, against winners of a 4th v 5th tie.

 

[Seagull over Canaryland]

It does seem strange to decide a third promotion spot after a 46 game league with a knockout competition. I suspect though that had we come 3rd by 10 points instead of 1 point/2 goals, we would not be having this conversation.

There has to be a way of giving the team finishing 3rd more of an advantage though - if we had finished miles behind in 3rd, we could have rested players as well. The straight to the final one is probably the best, but it will not be changed anytime soon. Such is life.

Agreed, but sadly cannot see the FA, FL and Sky changing the format.

Ultimately 3 teams will be promoted, so the team finishing the season in 3rd should automatically go into the play off final. Let those whose final league position was outside the top three fight out for the other final place. This isn't sour grapes - IMO would have been fair to Burnley or 'Boro if they had finished 3rd after such a competitive season.

Alternatively to simplify matters just return to the old format i.e. team finishing 3rd in the Championship plays 3rd bottom in the PL. So in this case we might have had a one-off game against Norwich at Wembley. However that system was binned years ago.

When you consider the play off final is not until 28 May the play off process is also penalising the winning side's preparations for life in the PL a) by not giving players a decent break after 50 odd games b) some players will also be involved in the Euros c) allowing the promoted club to plan for building a PL squad ahead of pre-season training. OK these are 'nice' problems, offset by the euphoria of reaching the PL but then the real pressure begins. Hardly ideal preparation for survival in the PL.

Ultimately it just underlines the need to get the job done earlier in the season, with points dropped in failing to see out winning positions at QPR, Derby & Bolton and at home to Burnley etc

 

[Postman Pat]

Team in 3 rd straight to Wembley , 6 th plays 5th one leg , team that came 5 th at home . Winners from that play team in 4 th either one leg with 4 th placed team at home or 2 leg , again 4 th placed gets 2nd leg at home . Winners play 3 rd placed at Wembley ! Sort of thing

3rd place straight to Wembley, 4th vs 7th, 5th vs 6th in a one off game. Winners play each other over 2 legs and then winner plays 3rd at Wembley.

Only 1 extra game, extra team involved and 3rd get a decent rest.

 

[BoroVisiting]

3rd place straight to Wembley, 4th vs 7th, 5th vs 6th in a one off game. Winners play each other over 2 legs and then winner plays 3rd at Wembley.

Only 1 extra game, extra team involved and 3rd get a decent rest.

But that's then unfair on the team finishing 4th instead of 3rd? (What if they finished on the same points, separated by goal difference).

I reckon the 3rd straight to Wembley, 6th v 5th (5th @ home), winner v 4th (4th @ home)..... winner v 3rd @ Wembley.

That way it's still three matches, and 6th have to win three in a row to get promoted - which is then fairer.


Brighton can still do this..... and I want you too. Get an early goal on Monday night, and it's game on !!!

Good luck.

 

[Burnleylad]

Have to admit you had some rotten luck last night with injuries. I thought it was going to be your night when Wednesdays first goal was ruled offside but you never really had a chance to get into then game.

The unjustified red card for Stephens seems like a double whammy now. Sidwell didn't look fit enough to play with all that strapping but the change was forced on you by the situation.

At least things can only get better for you, maybe your luck will change with an early goal on Monday. If we can go 23 games unbeaten with a shite team (according to some of your more aggressive posters) then you can overturn a 2 goal deficit. I thought Rosenior was tremendous when he came on last night, The rest of the team need to follow is positiveness and effort for you to have a chance.

I'll be watching with interest again on Monday, just remember all supporters of rival teams are not on here to gloat or slag you off. Good luck on Monday, I just hope it's a good game of football.

 

[Danny-Boy]

The reason why the play-offs were brought in was to make end-of-season games mean something. In the old days of two-up two-down virtually the whole of the last month of fixtures were meaningless for many mid-table clubs, if two sides had got well clear or were tailed-off at the bottom.

These days usually either promotion or relegation issues are still live in the last week. Or even in the last few minutes..

 

[inland seagull]

Totally against 2 legged play off matches, £30 approx to just watch one-half??

Oh thats why they do it! !